


Ashes of Eden

by frameofreality



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anime Spoilers, Anime/Manga Fusion, Asexual Character, Asexual Hange Zoë, Awkward Romance, Blood and Gore, Canon Non-Binary Character, Canon Related, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Character's Name Spelled as Hanji, Child Death, Denial of Feelings, Developing Relationship, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, F/M, Feral Behavior, Feral!Reader - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin) Being An Asshole, Long-Term Relationship(s), Manga Spoilers, Minor Character Death, My First Work in This Fandom, Non-Binary Hange Zoë, Original Character Death(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reader-Insert, Slow Burn, Strained Relationships, Tsundere Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Why Did I Write This?, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-05-14 02:46:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5726827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frameofreality/pseuds/frameofreality
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fall of Wall Maria, Hanji Zoë's squad stumbles upon a dying man outside of Wall Rose who informs them of something shocking. “Listen, there are others…three kids… I’ve been keeping them alive since the breach.” Urging them to follow, they set off to rescue the orphaned children only for the man to die before he is able to reveal their location. Hanji returns to the Survey Corps and sets about organizing efforts for search and rescue missions. Eventually, they have to break off the operation, the lost children left for dead deep within the titan territory that was once Wall Maria. Years later, Garrison forces begin to notice the steam and corpses of dead titans beyond the walls. Concern arises over the mystery and the Survey Corps are alerted. Is someone still alive out there, after all this time?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing a reader insert of anything and the idea just popped into my head and hasn't left me alone since. I'm not sure how far I'll go with this, I have a lot planned for it but we'll see. I'd appreciate feedback, especially if you think this is something worth continuing! Also sorry for the shortness of the first chapter, the others will be longer.

It had been a foolish endeavor from the start. He’d known that and yet… A grimace painted itself across his face, pain etched into every inch of his dirty, bruised skin, one hand gripping the reins of his horse unbearably tightly, the other clutching onto his wounded side. Warm stickiness met his fingers, but he dare not pull them away lest the bleeding return in full force.

Teeth grit, the disheveled man clucked his tongue, urging the bay mare beneath him to veer to the right with a tug of the reins. _It’s so close now…just past those trees…_ Grey eyes narrowed, bright with determination, and he pressed his hand harder to his side, stifling the urge to sink his digits in. The wound was deep, he knew…just how deep however, he wasn’t certain. Frustration had chosen a perfect time to rear its ugly head, and if he was being perfectly honest with himself, he was damned surprised he’d made it this far. Then again, he couldn’t fail them. No! Hold on a little longer.

Once they were safe, behind the walls…yes, then he could finally rest. He couldn’t abandon them now, not after… _Aleida. I won’t…let your death have been in vain._ Hissing in a breath of air between his teeth, he reached up to adjust the brim of his hat out of habit only – Shit. That’s right. Damn thing’s probably trampled into the ground by now. An irritated growl left him, one that changed abruptly to a pained and startled cough as the horse beneath him stumbled over a rocky outcropping. Chest heaving, he screwed his eyes shut against the gush of blood brought forth from the sudden jarring motion, allowing himself a small respite and leaning his head against the mare’s warm neck. “K-Keep going…don’t stop…” He choked out, grey orbs flying open as a wetness flew from his mouth, painting the horse in crimson droplets. “Don’t you fucking stop!”

Idly, his calloused hand moved to grasp onto the protruding hilt of the scavenged weapon, a harsh, quiet laugh escaping his chapped lips. _Done in by your own hand, you dumb bastard. Eh, at the very least I didn’t lose to a damn –_

A shadow fell over his battered frame, and he more felt rather than heard his horse’s panicked cry, his own ears ringing with a strange silence, pupils blown wide as he looked up straight at the dull, lifeless eyes of death itself. Shouting out an unintelligible string of curses, he jerked the reins to the side and kicked the mare’s sides, urging her to dart away. A harsh thud of impact behind him sent his shocked heart racing, the growing rhythmic noise drowning out all else. The shadow was quick to return and this time, he wasn’t so lucky.

The next thing he knew, he was lying in a crumpled heap upon the cold, hard ground, a harsh series of coughs flecking blood upon his parted lips. He gasped for air, agony riddling him near comatose and vaguely, he could make out the broken form of his horse not far away.

 _Damn thing…killed my horse…_ He opened his eyes, watching in rapt terror, the huge beast lazily crawling forward with its false smile of a maw opening wide to receive him. Bile rose in the back of his throat, struggling to move away from the monster. He managed no more than a few inches before it was upon him and with a final, desperate act of defiance, he wrenched the blade from his side, ignoring the red flow it brought forth. In the second before all went dark, his grey eyes glinted hatefully from the shattered half-edge to the back of the titan’s foul, greedy gullet. He could never get to the nape like this, but he’d be damned if he’d go down without a fight. _Aleida…kids…I’m sorry._

“Squad Leader Hanji!”

_Wha –_

Scalding liquid sprayed, drenching him to the bone with blood – but it wasn’t his? Opening the eyes he hadn’t realized he’d closed, he felt a cold chill race down his spine at what little he could make out in the dark stench of the titan’s mouth. Why wasn’t it biting down? Had he actually – ?

“Get him out of there!” Heat seared into him once again, and he bit back the urge to scream at the sheer intensity of it. When light finally reached him, he realized what remained of his sword had been plunged to the hilt in the roof of the cavity, both arms stretched upwards and hands locked in a death grip. Fresh air assaulted his senses and he grew dizzy, the lurid stench of the titan’s breath beginning to dissipate upon the wind.

Shakily, he released his hold on his weapon, working to steady his heaving breaths as he felt firm yet gentle hands grasp at him and haul him carefully out of the remains of the steaming, mangled monster. Green flashed and he felt the soft grass beneath him, a tattered cloak draping over him. He bared his teeth in protest as someone bent down to pull away the cloth and inspect his injury.

“Where did you get the blade?” It took him a full minute to process the words, and he struggled to raise himself up on his elbows. “No, don’t move! You’re really banged up,” another, different voice chastised him, and he blinked in confusion when a stranger blocked his view of the sky, leaning down with a near manic grin on their face.

“I’ll ask again. Where did you get the blade?” They spoke calmly despite the fervor housed within their brown eyes, disheveled hair nearly falling out of its high tie. The man almost snickered when he noticed his reflection in their glasses, he looked like hell.

“I –” Another bout of racking coughs prevented him from answering right away. Someone offered him water and he gladly accepted, the cool drink doing wonders for his parched throat. He took a breath, shook his messy head, and continued. “Found them.” The person hovering over him seemed less than pleased by his response, and out of the corner of his eye he spotted an emblem on the cloak – _The Wings of Freedom. Well, I’ll be damned._

“You mean you stole them from our supply houses.” The soldier tending to him clarified, the person above him adjusting their jacket before they spoke with a smile, out of place amongst the gore that surrounded them.

“I’m sure he had good reason…what are you doing out here? I was certain no one had survived after the breach if they hadn’t made it into Wall Rose. Ah, Squad Leader Hanji Zoë of the Survey Corps, by the way.” They leaned down, sticking out their hand, and the man lifted a brow, shaking it.

“Claus Eckhard. Former Military Police.” Feeling fainter than before, he glanced down only to be met with a grisly sight.

“That’s not a titan bite…” Hanji spoke up, tilting their head with concern.

“No, accident…” Claus moved his hand to put pressure on the bandage the medic pressed to his stab wound, grimacing. “Two of those bastards cornered me…managed to kill one of them but the other… broke the weapon, knocked me off and I…landed on the damn thing. Got away, then that one there…”

“I assume you’re also the culprit of the missing 3DMG then?”

“Lost it,” Claus grunted, allowing his head to drop back onto the ground, seriousness darkening his paling face. “Listen, there are others…three kids… I’ve been keeping them alive since the breach.”

“Oh my God.”

“There are kids out here?!”

“Continue, please.” Hanji pressed, the smile now completely gone from their face. “Where are they?”

“I would have tried to get them out sooner but…one is…injured…another, sick…couldn’t risk moving them. Please, help me onto a horse if you have an extra one, I’ll show you – ”

“If we move you, you’ll definitely bleed out!” The medic argued weakly, and he and the man shared a knowing look.

“I’m bleeding out already, let’s hurry before I die.” _I need to see them one last time…to tell them…they’re safe now and I’m sorry I couldn’t…_

“Get him on a horse and let’s move out before any more titans show up.” Hanji ordered, mounting their own horse in one swift movement, the rest of their squad quick to follow. The soldiers helped lift and maneuver the dying man in front of Hanji, having no extra horses, and at Claus’ behest, began their race across the expanse of the field, away from the Wall.

They didn’t make it far when Hanji felt the poor man slump further against them, and despite his wordless protests, slowed their horse to an easier gait. “Tell me where they are, Claus. You won’t make it.” Their voice was apologetic yet unyielding, gaze soft upon the tortured soul they held so carefully.

“No, I…I’m going to see them…one last time, they’re just…” _They’re just damn kids, they’ve lost so much already. I can’t leave them, not now, not yet._

“Claus!” Hanji cried out, barely catching the man as he fell forward and almost completely off the horse.

 _Shit. They’re right._ “They’re in a small village, near the forest and…” Hanji gulped as the man trailed off, and they went to shake him, to urge him to finish what he was saying when – 

“He’s dead.”

____________________________________

Hanji sat alone, high above the ground. To their right hung their hammock, hastily prepared. Most of their squad had retired for the night, safe in the knowledge that any titans in the area wouldn’t be able to reach them in the high trees. Their brown orbs drifted downward, to scrutinize a disturbed patch of earth just below. _Is this the forest, Claus? Is this near to where they are?_

“Squad Leader.” Moblit Berner spoke up from his branch not too far away, sensing the growing disquiet of his superior. “How are we supposed to find them? There are so many villages along the outskirts of the forest…they could be anywhere.”

Hanji kicked their legs a moment before sighing. “We won’t find them this time. We’re almost out of supplies and we’re farther out than we intended to go. We should be at least halfway back to the Wall by now.”

“Then…we leave them out here? Three kids, alone, in titan territory?” Moblit questioned softly, avoiding eye contact with the Squad Leader.

For the longest time, Hanji didn’t reply. A deep frown had replaced their usual grin, perhaps even more unsettling than the norm. Eventually, they spoke. “For now. I’ll inform Erwin when we get back, talk to him about sending out search parties. Get some rest, Moblit, you’ll need it for the ride back.”

“You too, Squad Leader.” The soldier nodded, hesitantly getting into his hammock. Hanji waited until they knew he’d fallen asleep. Left alone with their thoughts, they stood and paced a while until sleep gnawed at the edges of their focus. Turning to the makeshift grave below, they placed their fist over their heart in a salute.

_You have my word, Claus. I’ll find them. Stay safe, you three…I promise I’ll be back._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I don't think it's ever discussed in either the anime or manga exactly how titans sense out humans, I would assume smell is a factor, so for the sake of this fic as well as something to experiment with, we're going to go with that - unless I missed somewhere where it expressly states otherwise, in which case, oh well. Slight divergence should be fine.

You opened your eyes and were immediately greeted by the wide open expanse of the sky above, the light and warmth of the distant sun falling upon your sleepy, reclining form. Disoriented, you turned your face to the side, only for a soft blade of grass to tickle your cheek as you did so. Gradually, you moved to sit up, a quiet groan escaping you. Blinking half-lidded orbs, a pleasant calmness seemed to descend upon you as you took in the field of fragrant wild flowers spreading out endlessly before you. After rubbing the sleep from your dazed eyes, you reached out, stretching the lethargy from your body with a few satisfying pops. A little yawn parted delicate lips, and idly, you considered simply laying back down, far too tempted to chase the fluffy clouds above back into blissful oblivion.

You then brought a hand to your mouth, intending to stifle the lazy noise when – _red._ A choked gasp rose from your throat, suddenly now very dry, eyes blowing wide to examine the vibrant splash of color that decorated your curled fingers, the lukewarm liquid dripping down to pool in the palm of your shaking hand. A sound that vaguely resembled a startled screech drilled into your ears then, and you staggered upright, flinging the blood from yourself in a panic, chest heaving with unsteady breaths, not even realizing the sound had originated from you.

Behind you, a familiar voice called out your name, tone so very warm and inviting, honeyed words doing wonders to still your racing heart, and when you turned around to acknowledge the person, you felt it skip several beats.

“Honestly, how many times do I have to tell you not to run off on your own?” A young woman blessed with lovely sun-kissed skin lilted teasingly, tossing her waist-length auburn hair over her shoulder and reaching up to straighten the sky blue bandana she wore atop her head. “You were supposed to help me with the plants today.”

You felt your face scrunch up in confusion for a second, and when your eyes met her kind brown ones, it felt as though a bolt of lightning had raced down your spine. You opened your mouth to speak, but the words in your throat morphed into a scream midway through as a huge shadow fell over the angelic woman, a manic grin twisting its inky features before it parted its horrendous maw, and right before it swallowed her up, the brunette tilted her head, holding out a hand to you, seeming completely oblivious of the danger.

_“Wake up.”_

_____________________________________

Pain stabbed into your leg as you jumped out of bed, clenching your teeth against the impact your flesh had met with a nearby rock due to your frenzied movements. A curse lingered on your tongue, not quite passing into being as you leaned down to look at the area. It seemed fine, but judging from the force you’d hit it with, you wouldn’t be surprised if you ended up with a bruise. Scowling darkly, you shook your head to clear your mind, trying desperately to rid your conscious of the nightmare that lingered just out of sight. You heaved a deep, almost soundless sigh, curling your fingers in the mess of furs beneath you.

It didn’t take too long to regain your bearings, and once you did, you cast a cursory glance about the room you’d since claimed as your own – if it could even be called a room, that is. The fact was not lost on you that, living in a cave, you were now most certainly living up to the harsh stereotype the nobles within Wall Sina viewed those who lived in the outer most wall. Then again, it wasn’t as if the residents of Wall Maria were particularly plentiful nowadays. They hadn’t been for years, and you’d come to the conclusion it would stay that way. No one lucky enough to escape the slaughter dared leave the safety of Wall Rose, those few survivors most assuredly still mentally unstable from the horrors they’d witnessed, from the family and friends that had been lost.

Wall Rose. That’s where you _should_ be right now, instead of in some dark, dank cave. But there was nothing for you there…nothing but poverty and stagnation. At least out here, you knew how to combat or evade that which threatened to drain the life from you. At the very least, you had so far. Sometimes you found yourself wishing you hadn’t.

A pair of glowing yellow eyes in the outer passage distracted you from your thoughts, and you sniffed audibly in acknowledgement. A huff was the creature’s only response, and having investigated the noise of your less-than-peaceful waking, it disappeared as swiftly as it had come. The stale, cold air had since made goosebumps appear on your flesh, and you tossed away what little blankets still covered you, likewise disposing of the too large dirt-stained shirt you wore, leaving you bare. Suppressing a shiver, you hastened to throw on something more suitable – a ragged, makeshift top and bottoms made from fur and sparse leather. Sufficiently clothed for the day, your shoe-less feet carried you from the room, through the passage the animal had appeared and into a larger cavern, the only decor those of stalactites and stalagmites, as well as a small pond hidden to the right, the small stream leading to it gurgling softly amidst the quiet.

It took great willpower not to splash some of the water on your dirty face, instead scooping up several mouthfuls of the clear, chilly liquid to sate the thirst needling you. Finished, you turned to survey the rest of the area, noting with a satisfied nod that you were indeed alone. The beast must have gone ahead to join the others, no doubt taking advantage to scurry about their territory, doing whatever it was they did when not in the cave. Perhaps on a hunt? Regardless, it was nice not to have to feel the burn of their keen eyes upon your back, somewhat still wary, but ultimately curious as they tended to be when you emerged from your room. After that nightmare, you were thankful for their absence – clever things could tell when you were less than your usual apathetic self; you’d hate to unsettle them over something so childish.

Moments later found you stretched out in a certain part of the den, and had anyone else been there to witness you rolling around in the packed dirt and sparse leafy bedding they would most certainly be confused. Once satisfied the scent of animal fairly covered you, you slathered on a bit of mud for good measure. The cold, slimy feel left you with a grimace, prioritizing the ample amount of skin not covered by the clothing – it wasn’t that you hadn’t made another set for crisper, colder weather (you had), it was that outside the cave, the heat of the upper world was significantly greater in comparison, especially in the summer months.

To conclude your morning routine, you made your way over to the northern-most rock face, reaching up on your tiptoes to grasp at a leather harness stored there for quick retrieval. The straps settled smoothly against legs, chest, and back, the familiar press of the material digging deeper along near permanent bruising from the scavenged omni-directional mobility gear. Gripping onto part of the outcropping, a half-smirk curled your lips – _Well, they weren’t using it anyway._

It vanished just as soon as it had appeared, and you heaved yourself up higher, muscles in your back, arms, and legs straining to pull you up. Thankfully, over the years, you’d grown from the frail, thin child that you were into the resolute, athletic young adult you were today, so the sensation wasn’t all too unpleasant. If anything, it aided in waking you the rest of the way up, drowsiness falling from your limbs the closer you neared the top of the ceiling. Certain of your footing, you threw out an arm to push upwards, feeling the top give. With a grunt, you managed to heave it sideways enough for you to wriggle through, fresh air assaulting your lungs, trained body heaving you onto the grassy incline. Not bothering to move the stone cover back over the hole – you’d be damned if you ever made that mistake again – you dug into the nearby brush to retrieve the remainder of the equipment, making sure to check the blades for any signs of wear.

 _At the very least I shouldn’t have to steal more of these blades soon, provided nothing goes wrong. The gas, on the other hand…it’s not a bad idea to stock up some._ Despite having a small reserve supply of gear in the cave, you were nothing if not prepared for the worst. Out here, all alone, there was no such thing as being too careful. It hadn’t taken you long to realize that, but it had taken long enough that you still bit back bitter memories at the idea of running low on supplies. You simply counted yourself fortunate that certain store houses littered the land beyond the walls, and in return for whoever provided the edge you needed to survive out here, you only took what was needed. Likely such places were under ownership of a specific branch of the military – the Survey Corps, they were called.

Suddenly, a childhood recollection danced to the forefront of your mind – they’d come through your village once, before it all went to hell. At the time, you’d watched in awe and wariness alike as the soldiers arrived on their horses and proceeded to conduct business about town. Then, you were just a shy little girl, hiding in the skirts of your motherly caregiver, so sure of the Scouting Legion’s strength and courage. Now, however… _Damn suicidal bastards is all they are. Though, no more than I am..._

Another swift check-over found you ready as you’d ever be. The smell of wolves prominently obscured your own human scent, and you thanked the heavens profusely that it hadn’t rained in the last few days. The disguise was necessary, near miraculously hindering the range at which you could be detected by most anything, be it deer, bear, or titan, but you’d never been able to get used to the stench of wet dog that you’d had to wear on more than one occasion. As far as you were concerned, the day was already promising without such an issue. The method wasn’t foolproof, by any means – despite preventative measures, it wasn’t too uncommon to run across a titan, whether due to you not detecting them soon enough or one of the beasts catching onto your ruse should you get too close or if the wind happened to be against you. In all honesty, you’d come to the conclusion that the more intelligent ones possessed some other form of detection, making it that more difficult to cover your tracks.

But practice was always welcome, and the knowledge that danger could literally be lurking around any corner kept you on your toes. You knew all too well that if you relaxed out here for even a second, the consequences could be fatal. _As of now,_ you thought as you kicked off from the ground, maneuvering to land in a towering tree, _I have no intention of dying so easily._ With that, you were off, flying through the forest silently under the cover of rustling leaves overhead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, not too much has happened so far, but this is only the second chapter. Starting with chapter three, the pace will start picking up and we'll get to meet more of the characters. But what do you guys think? Should I continue or just stop while I'm ahead? Also, I have no beta, so feel free to point out any mistakes I may have missed! Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constanze Faust is one of the few OCs I've made specifically for this story, and she'll be the only one getting a fair amount of screen time. Why, you ask? Well, she's actually instrumental later when it comes to proving to the Survey Corps that Reader-chan exists and is alive and (somewhat?) well outside the Walls!

Three times. Three times it had happened over the last two weeks – off in the distance, not far from Wall Rose, a certain Garrison soldier and engineer had witnessed something, and now, there was no doubt it wasn’t just something born of the imagination. Nothing produced as much steam as that of a dying titan, and the fact so few had been seen clawing at the Wall over the usual number they near constantly experienced only aided this theory. So naturally, the soldier did what protocol dictated, and set aside the time to alert the nearest commanding officer.

“Squad Leader Brzenska, sir.” The soldier saluted as she entered after knocking. “I apologize for this disturbance but I believe I may have some news.”

Rico Brzenska glanced up from her work, a stiff frown plastered onto her face as her framed grey eyes took in the stiff young woman’s form standing in her doorway. Raising a brow, she paused in her writing to adjust her glasses with one hand, other still hovering over a stack of papers.

“Faust? It’s not like you to interrupt me. I assume this is important, then?” The older woman leaned forward, placing her elbows atop her desk and steepling her fingers.

“Yes, sir.” The girl hesitated a moment, though her expression remained neutral. “Perhaps.”

Rico’s eyes narrowed immediately. “Perhaps? I don’t have time to listen to idle rumors, soldier, I’m very busy at the moment.”

“I realize that, sir.” She stated simply. 

The squad leader stared at the blonde engineer, blinking slowly. Finally, she let out a quiet sigh. “Constanze, you’re one of the good ones, and I’ve never known you to be any trouble. Speak if you must, and I will listen.”

“Thank you, sir.” The soldier saluted quickly once more, moving closer to her superior’s desk at the nod given for her to continue. “In the past two weeks, I and members of my squad have noticed steam on the horizon, beyond the Wall. Initially, we thought nothing much of it…I had been working on a project and assumed I was merely sleep-deprived, and I can’t exactly vouch for my team’s sobriety during the time.”

Rico merely rolled her eyes, waving Constanze to continue. So that was where her wine had gone? She’d have to approach said team members about it later. “Since it’s still on your mind, I would guess you’ve seen it more than once?”

“Yes, sir. Three times, in fact.”

“And…when was the latest you saw this?”

“Half an hour ago.” As if sensing the next question, Faust continued, “My project is currently on hold until I receive government approval to begin tests, so my sleep schedule has been normal as of late.”

Brzenska gave a little huff, leaning back in her chair. “I see…so, Faust, tell me. What exactly do you think this steam is?” The woman had an idea of what she was getting at, and she hoped her assumption was incorrect.

“I think it’s from dying titans, sir.”

 _Damn. I was right._ “You are aware the Scouting Legion hasn’t been cleared for an expedition during this time frame, yes?”

“With all due respect, sir, that’s an insult.” Faust replied right away.

“Yes, I suppose so, given you’re our primary canon operator…you would be informed if your team’s services were required ahead of time.” The older woman let slip a little smirk, but it faded quickly. “Well, Faust?” A vague sense of worry prodded at Rico – surely the titans hadn’t started killing each other? _No, that’d be a damn dream come true. Then…_

“I believe there is someone alive out there, sir.” Abruptly, the squad leader stood up from her chair, striding over to the nearest window, gazing out at nothing in particular with her hands folded behind her back.

“A member of the Survey Corps?” She asked slowly, feeling her shoulders tense up more so than they’d been before. “It’s not uncommon for bodies to go unrecovered…though I’ve never heard of anyone returning on their own. While the soldiers in the Corps may indeed be able to survive two weeks in titan territory, that is an unlikely possibility no matter how you look at it. With no recent expeditions…they’d have to have been out there longer. A month, at least.”

“The Survey Corps have several storage houses set up across Wall Maria’s former territory.” Constanze offered. “If they could have made it to one, their chances of survival could have significantly increased.”

“Hmph. Not by much.” Rico drawled, unconsciously biting at her lower lip. “It doesn’t matter how skilled or prepared you are out there – eventually, plans go awry. After all, the Scouting Legion are as human as the rest of us…”

“…Sir?” Constanze prodded lightly, a frown threatening to cross her lips as she observed her superior’s train of thought. “What do you suggest?”

The room grew deathly quiet then, and for the longest time, neither spoke. After what felt like years but had surely only been minutes, Brzenska turned around to level a commanding glare at Faust.

“For the time being, I suggest nothing.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, jaw set in a hard line. “If someone is out there, Survey Corps or no, I doubt they’ll last much longer. That being said, I’m not about to risk the lives of my men on a foolish rescue of a dead man. This stays between us, Faust. If possible, that is. Make sure your team mates think of it as just having had too much alcohol. I want immediate updates if something should happen again, though. That’s an order. Dismissed.”

Rico proceeded to turn away from the soldier, barely acknowledging her farewell salute and silent exit. The older woman reached up to adjust her glasses again with a sigh passing through her clenched teeth. _God, I hope no one's alive out there in that hell...no one deserves that._


End file.
